Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-02-21
A COSTLY DISPATCH.

Iit NlilltE VI 100 spent III venice,
d. L. About nine miles to the south OF
Venice is Barker City, a metropolis whose
boast is that it was built in ten days,
which enterprising claim its noble
pecades, guiltless alike of either paint or
plane. do not contradict
Between the two places at the time of
which | am writing ran Ben Hodgson S
stage, and a very good stage it was, as
such institutions go. Everything in Da-
kota tends to make you say your prayers
and p eparc fSr the worst
am going to tell you about Ben Hodg-
son-BcH lodgson and Ralph Kimball
and ANNE Lee. Annie Lee was the girl
Ben was going TO marry. She lived in
Sleepy Eye, Mimi. and used to write him
twice day. Every woman loves ro-
nance, and Ben and soon became fast
friends, simply on account of Annie. He
( would talk about her by the hour to-
gether, sure of my sympathy and atten-
. tion.
'i've thought on it ever since I was
turned 10. - he broke out one morning, as
he waited for his stage, his eyes glued to
the toes of his enormous boots and smile
playing upon his lips. "Annie Lee was
the girl | always meant to marry if ever
got a start. She's never been over WELL
Annie hasn't, and at fisst she was sort Of
backward about it; but lately it's been
growing different, with her a getting
better and my good luck. So now I'm
going to Sleepy Eye soons 1 come back
from this trip, for I've asked her and she
says she will"
This is how Ben announced to me that
/ he was going to be married
/ Ii was in Mrs. Driscoils stuffy little
/ parlor. Ben had barely time TO tell me of
| the prospective change in his condition
when kimball came in. We all boarded
| at Mrs. Driscoli's, it being the only place
/ in Venice where you could be sure of the
/ ingredients of your food-moderately sure.
kimball and Ben were warm friends.
despite the differences in their nature and
education. The one was an active breezy,
wide awake newspaper man, and the other
! only slow going stage driver; but Ben
| regarded kimball as one Of the lights of
the age, and kimball reserved for Ben the
softest side Of his heart. We always are
| fond of those who idolize us.
What magnificent day for your rum"
/ exclaimed kimball, sauntering to the
/ window and gazing up into the bright
sky-a typical Dakota sky-as cold, gilt
tering and brilliant as woman without q
heart.
Dakota weather's mighty uncertain"
swered Ben. gathering himself together
and preparing TO make his usual onslaught
upon the scarcely broken day.
Twas jest sech a day as this when
that blizzard that ended old Timothy
Farrar came up. You can't tell nothing
bout blizzard, mOre'n wOman-some
women. | mean, not all, " with an elabOr-
ately apologetic glance in my direction.
Il want Il blizzard the worst way, re-
marked Kimball. my papers are nag
ging me all the time to send them one.
They take tremendously down east
Now jest you look here" interposed
Hodgson, earnestly. Don't ever you let
on TO them eastern papers bout any bad
weather You hit up in this section. Out
here in Dakota they don't allow no bliz-
Zard, nor cyclones, nor nothing to get
east. Because YOU see it would stop the
migration"
Bless his benighted old heart" ex-
claimed Kimball, turning to me with a
smile as the door closed on Ben. That's
the kind of loyalty that preserves the
universe
shall have to confess to something of
weakness for Ralph Kimhall. In the
first place he was possessed of eXtraor-
dinary beauty, and who among us is Sc
superior as to be insensible to a superb
physique2 Then, unlike the majority of
handsome men, he seemed quite IIncon-
scious of his personal charms, and thereby
increased them tenfold. His whole he
ing was absorbed in The Tornado, the
new daily paper which had been bold
enough TO open its existence in a me
tropolis as yet great only on paper, and
whose present disabilities. it must be ad
mitted, We're not inconsiderable. But
kimball had not rcckoned without his
host, and much stupendous courage was
not allowed to 60 without reward-neXt
To drinks. The Tornado was the most
popular thing in town.
Its editor and proprietor was n typical
newspaper man keen, absorbed, en-
ersetic, unscrupulous, a man certain of
success. With only $500 in his pocket,
but with an experience which he con
sidcred cheap at $50, 900, Kimball had set
tied in this God forsaken region with but
one end in view-a rapid rise to wealth
and power. The means TO this end might
sometimes be questioned, but kimhaQ
knew the world--he knew that success is
seldom called to account. Once in a
while he would wax confidential, and
garding the process of modern journalism
what enlightenment as to the real
origin of certain specials" from New Or
leans, st. Petersburg, Bombay, the true
maihspring of some Of his loftiest edi-
tOr.als! What a confused brain was
mine when he told me that every word OF
the communication from the khedive of
Egypt, which had created such a ire
meudous sensation throughout the whole
country, was simply the result of his own
fertile imagination.
THAT l. the only way to rise to the head
of your profes sion," he coolly commented.
Anybody can run a paper backed by
plenty of money, but it takes a man like
your humble servant, with an irresist-
iilc bow, ITO produce dispatches from all
over the world on a capital next to moth
ing. Ii answers every purpose; my sub
sCriberS are quite As contented as those of
The New York Herald. and 1 make more
in proportion to the outlay than James
Coz Son Bennett. What can YOU possibly
sav AGAINST it" and he would look j. 10
my eyes with calm defiance which upset
WAT lutte intellect | still possessed and
I left me dumb.
! But this is DEPRESSION ] started To tell
| what happened this day that Ben went to
I Barker City In the middle of the after
! noon Il blizzard came upon us, so sudden
/ ". seemingly out of the almost perfectly
! clear sky, that hot until the little particles
/ of ice began driving horizontally, render
ing vision difficult and pedestrianism well
nigh impossible. did Venice realize with
what she was afflicted. / attempted to
walk to the postoflice, less than four blocks
away, but was driven back ignominiously
with eyes blinded flesh singing and senses
confused.
We gathered around the huge coal stove,
that standing testimony to the depravity
Of Dakota winter, and gazed at one an
other with anxious eyes, discussing Ben.
As he must have started for home before
the storm his situation was decidedly
serious. We We're all wise enough to be
fearful for his safety out on the trackless
plain in that atmosphere of whirling ice.
Yet it was idle 10 think of an attempt at
he, ,..la l.l- .sta .an nrh